The Blog Page for Northwest Arkansas Atheists

Morning Meditations: #16: Some Friendly Collaboration

Today while doing a morning meditation, I decided that I would examine what hasn’t been accomplished from the posts which I still want to accomplish, but have not had the time and/or inspiration to do. The ones that come to mind are: filing printed works, write three-thousand words a day, finish two of the books I’ve been reading, and find a source of income. That is it. I look at the list and smile. If fulfillment is a goal, which it is, then I am reaching that goal daily. Only a few pieces of the puzzle remain missing, but “the seekers are the finders.”

Something else that comes to mind which may be slowing some of my progress down is the mistake of being in competition with myself. I don’t mean to say that competition is bad or somehow wrong, nor am I saying that challenging oneself isn’t a wise and honorable goal. Merely stating that it isn’t an intrinsic part of fulfillment. The desire for a great and meaningful life to be is in no way reliant on being in a competition with yourself. Rather, think of yourself and all the constituent parts that make up “you” as a team rather than competing entities.

This is a huge part of mindfulness and healing. Think of a group of scientists, or if you happen to live in a theological mindset, replace “scientists” with “priests” (or whatever holy man you might follow). What kind of team would they make if they were in constant competition with each other rather than challenging each other. Not to say that competition between scientists hasn’t produced many of the great things of this world, but there is no doubt that we loose a lot in that too. Where are Tesla’s towers beaming wireless free electricity to every home? Where are corporate lobbies for a healthier America? I’ll tell you where. Lost. Lost to the harmful competition within our society. What if just those two things had been scientists and business women and men challenging each other rather than trying to “crush” competition.

I know this battle first hand, as I come from a highly competitive business background, the video game industry. The millionaire CEO who taught me big business also taught me the saying, “Kill ’em, fuck ’em, and eat them. In any ole order.” (Real productive Mr. C) We all know who looses in a situation like that, the consumer, or as I like to say, everyone. Robert Reich says it best when he claims that the person in the store, in the market, and purchasing online are what actually run this country, but are not the seed of power. And unless the consumers who operate the businesses (always remember that the CEO of the largest corporations still must purchase things) come to realize that collaboration, as opposed to competition, make for great societies, every person will suffer. They will loose capital and the society will fall. History proves this out. Just ask the Maya or Romans. Once people fall pray to the “leaders,” death and failure loom. The sentiment of “there is always someone left to fight,” (Gladiator) can ruin entire cultures by ruining one mind at a time.

Today I will collaborate with myself to be incredible.

Something I love about myself is:

11. My ability to embrace failure. Being wrong or failing doesn’t have to be the end of accomplishment; it can be the beginning of every great moment.